Programmer gear device with slidable actuator bar

ABSTRACT

A programmer device having a controllable output shaft. An electric motor is mounted to a frame and is coupled through gears to a clock drum which has a projection thereon. A multiarm member is rotated by the projection and has movable pins thereon engageable with a slidable arm which moves against a stop on a geared wheel causing rotation thereof. The motor is coupled through a plurality of gears to a driver which is in meshing engagement with the geared wheel. A gap in the teeth of the geared wheel allows for the disengagement with the driver until the arm causes rotation of the geared wheel so that the driver is positioned out of the gap. An output shaft is connected to the geared wheel and rotates therewith.

United States Patent 1 Brane Feb. 19, 1974 PROGRAMMER GEAR DEVICE WITH SLllDABLE ACTUATOR BAR [76] Inventor: Earl P. Brane, P.0. Box 605, Largo,

Fla. 33540 [22] Filed: May 23, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 256,172

[52] US. Cl. 74/354 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6h 5/82 [58] Field of Search 74/3.52, 3.54, 3.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,302,467 2/1967 Prosser 74/3.5 3,448,625 6/1969 Tischler 74/155 Primary ExaminerAllan D. Hermann Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton [57] ABSTRACT A programmer device having a controllable output shaft. An electric motor is mounted to a frame and is coupled through gears to a clock drum which has a projection thereon. A multiarm member is rotated by the projection and has movable pins thereon engageable with a slidable arm which moves against a stop on a geared wheel causing rotation thereof. The motor is coupled through a plurality of gears to a driver which is in meshing engagement with the geared wheel. A gap in the teeth of the geared wheel allows for the disengagement with the driver until the arm causes rotation of the geared wheel so that the driver is positioned out of the gap. An output shaft is connected to the geared wheel and rotates therewith.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBWW 3,792,614

I SHEET 2 [IF 2 I MIL;

I II

PROGRAMMER GEAR DEVICE WITH SLIDABLE ACTUATOR BAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention is in the field of control devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art Control devices have been provided which have a plurality of gears engaged with a control output shaft. These prior art devices typically have gaps in the gear teeth for starting and stopping the control output shaft. Disclosed herein is a control device which has a slidable arm which causes a geared wheel to meshingly engage a driving gear for the starting of the device. The arm may be manually or automatically actuated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One embodiment of the present invention is a control device comprising a frame, motor means mounted to the frame and having a rotatable driver, a geared wheel rotatably mounted on the frame, the wheel having circumferentially positioned teeth engageable by the driver, the wheel having a gap in the teeth positionable adjacent the driver for the disengagement thereof, a stop connected to the geared wheel being movable therewith, an output control shaft connected to the geared wheel and movable in unison therewith, and, an actuator arm mounted to the frame and movable against the stop to move the stop engaging the teeth with the driver.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved control device which may be automatically actuated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new control device which can be automatically and manually actuated.

Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top view of the control device incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is an end view of gears 23 and 31 taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a control device having a boxshaped frame 11 with a transparent cover 12 mounted thereto. Fastening devices 13 secure cover 12 to frame 11 and are threadedly received by bosses positioned in each of the four corners of the frame. An electric motor 14 is mounted to the back exterior surface of frame 11 by standard fastening devices such as screws. A variety of electric motors may be utilized. In one embodiment, a I20 volt, 60 Hz, 4.5 watt motor manufactured by International Register Company, Chicago, Illinois was utilized. Motor 14 includes conventional wiring 15 for connection to a source of electrical energy. The motor has a rotatable output drive shaft 16 with a gear 17 mounted thereon. A plurality of gears are rotatably mounted to the frame so as to provide a motor means for rotatably driving the output control shaft 18 of control device 10. The output control shaft 18 is connected to the various gears and is controllably movable. Shaft 18 is connected to shaft 19 of another apparatus which device 10 is controlling. Shaft 19 may have a plurality of cams 20 mounted thereon. Thus, as shaft 18 rotates shaft 19, cams 20 will engage and cause movement of other objects. Such objects might include valves for controlling fluid flow.

A geared wheel 21 is rotatably mounted to frame 11 and has a plurality of teeth 22 positioned circumferentially around the wheel which are meshingly engageable by driver gear 23. Wheel 21 includes a gap 24 in teeth 22 which is positionable adjacent gear 23 so that teeth 22 and gear 23 are disengaged. Integrally mounted atop gear 21 is a circular wall 21' having a recess 25 forming a stop 26. Stop 26 is movable around the axis of rotation 27 of wheel 21 and output shaft 18 which is concentric with wheel 21. An actuator arm 28 is mounted to frame 11 having a distal end 29 movable against stop 26 to move the stop around axis 27 so as to cause engagement of teeth 22 with gear 23.

Gears 29' and 30 are integrally connected together and are rotatably mounted to frame 11 with gear 29 in meshing engagement with gear 17 and gear 30 in meshing engagement with gear 31. Gear 23 is rotatably mounted atop gear 31. Thus, it may be seen that activation of motor 14 results in the rotation of gears 17, 29', 30 and 31. Gear 31 causes rotation of gear 23 which in turn rotates gear 21 and the output control shaft 18 until gear 23 is positioned in gap 24. Continued rotation of gear 23 does not result in further rotation of gear 21 or output shaft 18 until gear 23 is positioned out of gap 24. Gear 31 includes a plurality of projections 32 with each projection 32 including a top surface 33 (FIG. 4) which extends outwardly from the top surface of gear 31 forming a surface 34 perpendicular to gear 31. The most counterclockwise end of each projection is blended into the top surface of gear 31 whereas the most clockwise (FIG. 1) end of each projection is positioned outwardly from the gear. Gear 23 includes a flat base 35 integrally connected thereto. The base includes a plurality of recesses 36 (FIG. 1) in which members 32 are positioned. Thus, as gear 31 is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1, members 32 engage base 35 causing rotation of gear 23 in a clockwise direction. In the event that gear 23 is not positioned in gap 24, then geared wheel 21 and shaft 18 will also rotate. Each recess 36 includes a surface 37 (FIG. 1) which is abuttable against a projection 32. Therefore, rotation of gear 31 forces projections 32 against surfaces 37 causing rotation of gear 23. Counterclockwise rotation of geared wheel 21 independently of gear 31 causes geared wheel 21 to meshingly engage the teeth of gear 23 and rotate base 35 clockwise moving surfaces 37 apart from projections 32 with base 35 of gear 23 moving upward and slipping over gear 31. Spring 78 urges base 35 downwardly against gear 31.

Arm 28 has a slot 38 through which fastener 39 freely extends. Fastener 39 is fixedly secured to frame 11. Arm 28 includes a handle 40 which projects through opening 41 of cover 12 thereby enabling a person to push the handle in the direction of arrow 42' so as to cause the arm to move in the direction of arrow 42 forcing end 29 of the arm against stop 26 of the geared wheel. A helical spring 77 has one end fastened to frame 11 and an opposite end fastened to arm 28 so as to urge end 29 against wall 21 and towards axis 27. Stop 26 is located on the opposite side of the axis of rotation with respect to gear 23. Thus, if gear 23 is positioned in gap 24, then the output control shaft 18 will not rotate until arm 28 rotates geared wheel 21 in a counterclockwise direction so as to provide for the engagement of teeth 22 with gear 23. Arm 28 is supported by a wall 42 which extends perpendicularly upward from the bottom wall of frame 11. Wall 42 includes a projection 43 which limits the travel of arm 28 in the direction of arrow 44.

A clock is provided within device 10 for automatically moving arm 28. The clock includes a multiarm member 45 which is rotatably mounted to frame 11. In addition, the clock includes a drum 46 which is also rotatably mounted to the frame. Member 45 is positioned between arm 28 and drum 46. Drum 46 includes a gear 47 which is in meshing engagement with gear 48 mounted fixedly atop gear 49 which is rotatably mounted to the frame. The teeth on gear 49 are in meshing engagement with gear 50 mounted fixedly atop gear 51 also rotatably mounted to frame 11. The teeth on gear 51 are in meshing engagement with gear 52 mounted fixedly atop gear 53 which is rotatably mounted to the frame. The teeth of gear 53 are in meshing engagement with another gear 54 mounted fixedly atop gear 55 which is rotatably mounted to the frame and in meshing engagement with gear 56 rotatably mounted to the frame and in meshing engagement with gear 17. Thus, as gear 17 is rotated by motor 14, a gear 47 and drum 46 are also rotated. Mounted to the cylindrical wall 57 of drum 46 is a projection 58 for contacting one of the arms 59 of member 45. Wall 60 of drum 46 is positioned immediately above arms 50 with projection 58 depending therefrom. As drum 46 is rotated in a clockwise direction, projection 58 will eventually contact one of the arms 59 closest to drum 46 causing rotation in a counterclockwise direction of member 45.

Member 45 is rotatably mounted to frame 11 by fastener 61. Member 45 is shown as having seven arms 59 with one arm corresponding to each day of the week. Thus, if drum 46 is driven one revolution in a 24 hour period, then the projection on the drum will move member 45 once every day. Each arm 59 has a pin 62 slidably mounted thereto. The pins are movable to a downward position for engaging projection 63 (FIG. 3) of arm 28. In addition, the pins are movable to an upward position so as to prevent contact with projection 63. An elastic O-ring 64 is mounted to member 45.

Each pin has an edge which interferingly engages the O-ring so as to hold the pin in the intended position. Only some of the pins need be pushed to the downward position. For example, if the output shaft is to be r0- tated on only one day per week, then only one of the seven pins 62 would be located in the downward position with the other pins being located in the upward position. Drum 46 would therefore rotate member 45 one revolution per week with the downward pin contacting arm 28 so as to force geared wheel 21 to rotate so as to cause teeth 22 to be in meshing engagement with gear 23.

Drum 46 is spring biased downward so as to engage gear 48. A boss 65 (FIG. 3) mounted to frame 11 has a reduced portion 66 extending into the hollow center 67 of drum 46. A helically wound coiled spring 68 is positioned within center portion 67 between gear 47 and time dial 69 secured to reduced portion 66 by fastener 70. Dial 69 has an outer surface with numbers 71 marked thereon. Numbers 71 range from 1 to 24 representing the 24 hours in a day. Drum 46 has an outer surface 72' with an indicator line 72 marked thereon. Drum 46 may be pulled upwardly thereby compressing spring 68 until gear 47 discngages gear 48. The drum may be freely rotated until indicator line 72 is aligned with the correct time indicated by a marking 71. Drum 46 is pulled sufficiently upward so as to prevent projection 58 from contacting one of the arms. The drum is then moved downwardly so that gear 47 once again engages gear 48. Mounted atop time dial 69 is a retainer plug 75. Dial 69 and plug 75 do not rotate as drum 46 rotates. An arrow 76 is marked on the top surface of plug 75. In order to set the time of the day when projection 58 will engage an arm 59, fastener is loosened and a plug is rotated until arrow 76 is aligned with the appropriate marking 71. For example, if it is desired that projection 58 contact an arm 59 at 1:00 P.M., then arrow 76 is aligned with the number 13 of marking 71. In the event that the electricity is interrupted to the device or when first starting the device, the clock is set to the correct time by lifting drum 46 and rotating the drum until indicator line is aligned with the marking 71 corresponding to the correct time of day.

In one embodiment, the control device was utilized to turn a cam shaft 19 and a series of cams actuating valving in an automatic water softener. In this same embodiment, the input gear 17 rotated at a speed of one revolution per minute. The gears between gear 17 and geared wheel 21 were sized so that the geared wheel would rotate one revolution in a two hour period until gear 23 was positioned in gap 24. In this same embodiment, drum 46 would make a revolution every 24 hours so as to contact an arm of member 45 once a day. An example of the water softener connected to the control device 10 would be a water softening system in a large building wherein the water would be regenerated 5 days of the week, such as Monday through Friday. Thus, five pins would be located in the downward position on member 45. In this example, the water softening occured at 2:00 A.M. and thus, arrow 76 was positioned adjacent the number two. Thus, the actuator bar 28 would be forced against stop 26 at 2:00 A.M. 5 days during the week. Gear 23 would be thereby forced to engage teeth 22 and the output shaft 18 would turn for a period of two hours wherein crankshaft 19 would cause suitable valves to open in the water softening system for the two hour period.

The output control shaft and the geared wheel 21 move in unison together. The top end 79 of geared wheel 21 is shaped as a pointer and projects through wall 12 to enable the operator to position at will geared wheel 21. Likewise, handle 40 and drum 46 project through the top cover so as to allow manual positioning thereof.

It will be obvious from the above description that the control device may be automatically operated by the clock consisting of arm 46 and member 45 or alternatively, the control device may be manually actuated by moving handle 40 in the direction of arrow 42. Another way of activating the control device is to have a mechanism such as a solenoid to contact handle 40 and force the actuator bar in a direction opposite of arrow 42' thereby forcing end 29 away from stop 26 at all times. All of the pins 62 would be located in the downward position and thus, the actuator bar could possibly be contacted by a pin once very 24 hours. However, since the actuator bar is held away from member 45, the pins will not strike the bar until the solenoid releases the bar. After the bar is released, one of the pins will eventually contact the bar and actuate it in the normal manner. The solenoid would be connected to a sensing device which for example, could measure the hardness of water. The solenoid could also be connected to a water meter which would be set so that after a certain number of gallons pass through the meter, an electrical signal would be transmitted to the solenoid. In one embodiment, a microswitch was mounted within frame 11 having a movable contact arm biased against the gear wheel 21. As the geared wheel 21 rotates, gap 24 passes by the movable arm of the microswitch thereby allowing for the actuation of the switch. The switch is connected by suitable wiring to a circuit to provide a specified function.

In another embodiment, an electric motor was mounted to frame 11 with the output shaft of the motor having a cam thereon contactable against handle 40 to force the distal end 29 in the direction of arrow 42 for the actuation of geared wheel 21.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

What is claimed is:

1. In a control device including:

a frame;

motor means mounted to said frame and having a rotatable driver;

a geared wheel rotatably mounted on said frame, said wheel having circumferentially positioned teeth engageable by said driver, said wheel having a gap in said teeth positionable adjacent said driver for the disengagement thereof;

a stop connected to said geared wheel being movable therewith;

an output control shaft connected to said geared wheel and movable in unison therewith; and,

an actuator arm mounted to said frame and movable against said stop to move said stop engaging said teeth with said driver,

clock means mounted to said frame having teeth drivingly engaged by said motor means and including at least one pin movable against said arm to move said arm against said stop for the movement thereof, wherein the improvement comprises:

said clock means includes a multiarm member rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent said arm, said member has a plurality of pins thereon adjacent each arm with each pin movable to a position for contacting and moving said arm against said stop as said member rotates, said clock means further includes a drum rotatably mounted on said frame and adjacent said member, said drum has a gear thereon in meshing engagement with said motor means and a projection for contacting one of said arms as said drum is rotated causing rotation of said member,

said drum is spring biased against said motor means and is movable therefrom for repositioning of said projection.

2. In the control device of claim 1 wherein:

said geared wheel and said output shaft have an identical axis of rotation with said arm being spring biased towards said axis, said stop is positioned atop said geared wheel.

3. A control device comprising:

a frame;

motor means mounted to said frame and having a rotatable driver;

a geared wheel rotatably mounted on said frame, said wheel having circumferentially positioned teeth engageable by said driver, said wheel having a gap in said teeth positionable adjacent said driver for the disengagement thereof;

a stop connected to said geared wheel being movable therewith;

an output control shaft connected to said geared wheel and movable in unison therewith; and,

an actuator arm mounted to said] frame and movable against said stop to move said stop engaging said teeth with said driver,

clock means mounted to said frame having teeth drivingly engaged by said motor means and including at least one pin movable against said arm to move said arm against said step for the movement thereof,

said driver includes a first gear rotatably mounted on said frame and having a projection thereon, and a second gear rotatably mounted atop said first gear and having a surface abuttable: against said projection, rotation of said first gear forces said projection against said surface causing rotation of said second gear in a first direction, said second gear has teeth meshingly engageable with said geared wheel and positionable within :said gap, rotation of said geared wheel causing said geared wheel to meshingly engage said teeth of said second gear and rotation of said second gear in a direction opposite of said first direction causes said surface to move apart from said projection slipping said second gear with respect to said first gear.

4. The control device of claim 3 wherein:

said clock means includes a multiarm member rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent said arm, said member has a plurality of pins thereon adjacent each arm with each pin movable to a position for contacting and moving said arm against said stop as 6. The control device of claim 5 wherein: said geared wheel and said output shaft have an identical axis of rotation with said arm being spring biased towards said axis, said stop is positioned atop said geared wheel. 7. The control device of claim 6 wherein: said multiarm member includes an elastic O-ring mounted thereon, said pins are slidably mounted on said member each having an edge interferringly engaging said O-ring. 

1. In a control device including: a frame; motor means mounted to said frame and having a rotatable driver; a geared wheel rotatably mounted on said frame, said wheel having circumferentially positioned teeth engageable by said driver, said wheel having a gap in said teeth positionable adjacent said driver for the disengagement thereof; a stop connected to said geared wheel being movable therewith; an output control shaft connected to said geared wheel and movable in unison therewith; and, an actuator arm mounted to said frame and movable against said stop to move said stop engaging said teeth with said driver, clock means mounted to said frame having teeth drivingly engaged by said motor means and including at least one pin movable against said arm to move said arm against said stop for the movement thereof, wherein the improvement comprises: said clock means includes a multiarm member rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent said arm, said member has a plurality of pins thereon adjacent each arm with each pin movable to a position for contacting and moving said arm against said stop as said member rotates, said clock means further includes a drum rotatably mounted on said frame and adjacent said member, said drum has a gear thereon in meshing engagement with said motor means and a projection for contacting one of said arms as said drum is rotated causing rotation of said member, said drum is spring biased against said motor means and is movable therefrom for repositioning of said projection.
 2. In the control device of claim 1 wherein: said geared wheel and said output shaft have an identical axis of rotation with said arm being spring biased towards said axis, said stop is positioned atop said geared wheel.
 3. A control device comprising: a frame; motor means mounted to said frame and having a rotatable driver; a geared wheel rotatably mounted on said frame, said wheel having circumferentially positioned teeth engageable by said driver, said wheel having a gap in said teeth positionable adjacent said driver for the disengagement thereof; a stop connected to said geared wheel being movable therewith; an output control shaft connected to said geared wheel and movable in unison therewith; and, an actuator arm mounted to said frame and movable against said stop to move said stop engaging said teeth with said driver, clock means mounted to said frame having teeth drivingly engaged by said motor means and including at least one pin movable against said arm to move said arm against said stop for the movement thereof, said driver includes a first gear rotatably mounted on said frame and having a projection thereon, and a second gear rotatably mounted atop said first gear and having a surface abuttable against said projection, rotation oF said first gear forces said projection against said surface causing rotation of said second gear in a first direction, said second gear has teeth meshingly engageable with said geared wheel and positionable within said gap, rotation of said geared wheel causing said geared wheel to meshingly engage said teeth of said second gear and rotation of said second gear in a direction opposite of said first direction causes said surface to move apart from said projection slipping said second gear with respect to said first gear.
 4. The control device of claim 3 wherein: said clock means includes a multiarm member rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent said arm, said member has a plurality of pins thereon adjacent each arm with each pin movable to a position for contacting and moving said arm against said stop as said member rotates, said clock means further includes a drum rotatably mounted on said frame and adjacent said member, said drum has a gear thereon in meshing engagement with said motor means and a projection for contacting one of said arms as said drum is rotated causing rotation of said member.
 5. The control device of claim 4 wherein: said drum is spring biased against said motor means and is movable therefrom for repositioning of said projection.
 6. The control device of claim 5 wherein: said geared wheel and said output shaft have an identical axis of rotation with said arm being spring biased towards said axis, said stop is positioned atop said geared wheel.
 7. The control device of claim 6 wherein: said multiarm member includes an elastic O-ring mounted thereon, said pins are slidably mounted on said member each having an edge interferringly engaging said O-ring. 